Medicaid and SNAP Cuts Fuel a Vicious Cycle of Hunger and Mental Illness

“No one built a psychiatric unit to solve hunger,” writes clinical dietitian Cole Hanson. But patients arrive seeking help for both problems anyway. Hunger and mental illness are increasingly intertwined, and recent cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are making both conditions worse. Hanson argues that these policy decisions force healthcare workers to treat symptoms while ignoring root causes. A growing number of patients in psychiatric units report food insecurity as a daily stressor. Without adequate nutrition, mental health deteriorates, leading to more hospitalizations. Meanwhile, reduced access to Medicaid limits their ability to see therapists or get medication. The result is a costly, inefficient cycle: hospitals treat mental health crises that could be prevented if basic needs like food and healthcare were met. Hanson calls for policymakers to recognize that funding nutrition and medical coverage is not separate from mental health care—it is essential to it.